Congenital cysts of the esophagus are relatively rare. A 19-year-old man was admitted to the hospital because of epigastralgia and nausea, and an ultrasonography of the abdomen revealed a tumor shadow behind the lateral lobe of the liver. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a homogenous tumor adjacent to the lateral lobe of the liver and the abdominal esophagus, and disclosed a iso-signal intensity on Tl-weight images and a high signal intensity on T2-weight images, no enhancement being seen on a dynamic study. Under the preoperative clinical diagnosis of esophageal cyst, a laparoscopic enucleation was performed. The cystic wall consisted of double layers of smooth muscle without cartilage and was lined with ciliated columnar epithelium. Based on Arbona's criteria, the cyst was diagnosed as duplication cyst.
A laparoscopic approach is less invasive than conventional laparotomy, and the patient's recovery is more rapid. Laparoscopic surgery is considered to be beneficial for patients with benign esophageal tumors such as esophageal cyst and leiomyoma in the abdomen, that have been diagnosed before operation.